Reflector



R. W. LUCE REFLECTOR March 8, 1932.

Original Filed June 8. 1927 f 11v VENTOR- A TTORNE Y Patented Mar. 8, 1932 RICHARD W. L'UGE, OF MAPLEWOOD, NEW JERSEY,

CUMULATOR COMPANY, OF ELIZAIBETH, NEW JERSEY,

JERSEY REFLECTOR ASSIGNOE T AMERICAN GASAC A CORPORATION OF NEW Application filed June 8, 1927, Serial No. 197,342. Renewed August 20, 1936*.

My invention relates to reflectors which are adapted to be employed upon highways, streets, or the like, for signalling and thereby controlling traflic.

5. When reflectors are used for traflic signal purposes it is desirable that they be of a character such that the rays of light emanating from the head lights of an automobile, or other vehicle, shall be reflected back from the reflector in lines parallel orpractically the net that same time they should beeflicient in operation, because if not efiicient theyare liable to fail in thepurpose for which they'were designed.

The general object of the invention is to provide a reflector of novel construction, but of a character such that it may be constructed and installed at a minimum of expense, and also of a character such that its efliciency is not impaired but on the contrary is in-- creased.

It also is the object of the invention to providea reflector which may be regarded as comprising a plurality of parts of units combined into a single unit, the said parts'being so connected and related to each other as to form a unitary rigid structure.

To these and other ends the invention comprehends the construction as hereinafter described in detail, particularly pointed out in the claims, and as illustrated in the drawings,

in which I have illustrated certain forms of embodiment thereof. Itis, however, to be understood that the invention is susceptible of. embodiment in other forms of construction than those shown in the drawings, and that changes in the details of construction may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the said invention.

Inthe drawings: l

of sides extends at right angles or Fig. 1 is aview in front elevation of a reflector embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken in a plane comprising the axis of the said reflector;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2 showing a fragmentary portion of the structure, the said view being taken for the purpose of showing the angular relation existing between adjoining sides and reflecting surfaces of the re flector;

Fig. 4 is a view in front elevation of a modified construction of reflector embodying the invention;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view-taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5, the said view being taken for the purpose of showing the angular relation between adjoining sides'and reflecting surfaces of the reflector. I

In the drawings I have shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive a reflector of integral structure formed to provide a plurality of couples of sides arranged at right angles or approximately so to each other. The sides of these couples are designated by the reference letters a and b and a and b, 0 and (l and 0' and d, e and f and e and f, g and 7b and g and h. In the construction as illustrated, the reflector is made of sheet metal pressed or otherwise formed to produce the sides a, b, a, d, etc. The inner surface of the said sides may be rendered light reflecting in any suitable manner as'by polishing or by depositing thereon a plating of silver or other suitable metal. The reflecting surfaces of each couple of sides are at right angles or approximately so to each other as already indicated, and' the lines of intersection thereof converge toward a cominon point. The couple of sides a and b are directly opposite the couple of sides a and b, and the couple of sides 0 and d are directly opposite the couple of sides 0' and d, and so on for the remainder of the couples of sides of the structure. The line of intersection of the adjoining reflecting surfaces of any couples approximately so to the corresponding line of the opposing reflecting surfaces of the opposing Y couple of sides. This is true of any two pairs of couples of reflecting surfaces related to each other in the manner described. In a construction of the character illustrated it is practically necessary that there'shall be an even number of couples of sides in order that they may be arranged in relation to each other as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings, and as described above.

It is desirable that reflectors employed for traflic signalling purposes shall be capable of reflecting the rays of light in directions practically parallel with the incident rays of light within a wide field or relatively great critical angle in order that automobilists approaching the same from widely different directions may be apprised by the reflected light of the presence of a signal. This is important in order that if the signal shall be employed for indicating a dangerous point or portion in a highway or street, the person driving the automobile or other vehicle may be informed .with respect thereto.

l/Vhen a reflector is employed having a considerable number of pairs of right angularly or approx mately right angularly related reflecting surfaces arranged as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive of the drawings it is apparent that means is thereby provided for reflecting rays of light in parallel or practically parallel direction to the incident rays, which may emanate from sources occupying a large number of different positions. For instance. it may happen that a source of light is so related to the reflector that the rays of light which emanate therefrom impinge upon the reflecting surfaces of the sides a'and a and a and b and will be reflected back therefrom in directions parallel to the said incident rays; or it may be that the source of light may occupy a position such that the rays of light therefrom will not impinge upon the reflecting surfaces of the sides a and b and a and b but will impinge upon the refleeting surfaces of the couple of sides 6 and and e and f and are reflected back therefrom in directions parallel or practically parallel to the incident rays.

The course of the rays of light after they impinge upon the reflector may be traced as follows: Those rays, for instance, which impinge upon-the reflectin surface of the side a are reflected to the sur ace of the side-b and from the latter to the surface of the side a thence to the reflecting surface of the side 6' and from the latter in a return direction parallel or practically parallel with the impinging rays.

In Figs. 4 to 6 inclusive I have shown a construction similar to that illustrated in right angular relation to each other. In the said construction, shown in Figs. 4. to Ginsides 70' and Z. The lines of intersection of the reflecting surfaces of the sides la and Z and 7c and Z are arranged in right angular relation or approximately so to each other as is indicated in Fig. 5 of the drawings. The right angular relationship of the adjoining surfaces of the respective couples of sides is clearly shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings. In aconstruction such as is illustrated in Figs. 4 to 6 inclusive the rays of light from an automobile light, or other source, which impinge upon the reflecting surfaces thereof are reflected back in directions parallel to the said impinging rays.

It is apparent that the couple of sides In and l is located in directly opposed relation to the couple of sides 70' and Z.

A construction of reflector, such as is illustrated in Figs. 4 to 6 inclusive of the drawings, is, for many purposes, entirely satisfactory and desirable for economical reasons, if for'no other, but a reflector such as is illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings is in general more desirable and more efficient because a person driving an automobile or carrying a light is more apt to be made cognizant of its presence than if it included but a couple of pairs of sides as is illustrated in Figs. 4 to 6 inclusive of the drawings. Preferably reflectors embodying the invention are constructed of sheet metal and the converging inner surfaces of the sides thereof rendered light reflecting in any preferred known manner; but the said reflectors may be constructed of other material and in any other known manner, the essential thing being that there shall be included a plurality f of couples of reflecting surfaces, the surfaces of the respective couples being arranged at right angles or approximately so to each other and the said couples also being arranged in opposed relation to each other as described, with the lines of intersection of opposed couples of reflecting surfaces at ri ht angles .or approximately so to each ot er.

In both forms of construction the sides and the inner reflecting surfaces thereof taper from their outer endsinwardly, as shown.

' Regardless of the manner of construction or ofthe material employed in constructing the reflectors it is in practice desirable, if not necessary, that a diffusing sheet of glass or other suitable material be supported over or in front of the reflector when in use. Without such diffusing sheet reflectors of this character are somewhat ineflicient when used or trafiic signal purposes.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A reflector comprising a plurality of couples of sides, the inner surfaces of which are light reflecting and arranged at right angles to each other, the saidcouples being arranged in opposedpairs about an axis and converging toward a point on said axis, the 1 lines of intersection of .the reflecting surfaces of each opposed pair of couples being arranged at right angles to each other.

2. A reflector comprising a plurality of couples of sides, the inner surfaces of which are light reflecting and arranged at right angles to each other, the said couples being arranged in adjoining relation to each other about an axis and converging toward a point upon said axis, and each couple of sides being directly opposed to a like couple on the opposite side of the axis, the lines of'intersection of the opposed couples being at right angles to each other.

3. A reflector comprising a-pair of couples of sides one of said couples being located op posite the other, the inner surfaces of the said sides being light reflecting and the sides of each couple and the inner reflecting surfaces thereof being arranged at right angles to each other and the lines of intersection of the sides of said couples extending in directions at right angles to each other.

4. A reflector comprising a plurality of couples of light reflecting sides one of said couples of sides being located opposite another of said couples the sides of the respective couples being at right angles to each other and the lines of intersection of the sides of opposing couples being at-right angles to 40 each other, whereby the rays of light which impingeuponthe surface ofone of the sides of one of the opposed couples will be reflected to the surface of the other sideof saidlastnamed couple and from the latter to the surface of 4,5 one of the sides of the other of said opposed couples, thence to the surface of the other side of said last-named couple and from the latter in a return direction substantially parallel with the path of said impinging rays. 5. A reflector comprising a plurality of couples of sides the inner surfaces of which are light reflecting and arranged approximately at right angles to each other, the said couples being arranged in opposed pairs about an axis and converging toward a point on said axis, the lines of intersection of the surfaces of opposed couples of reflectors being angularly related. 6. A reflector comprising a plurality of couples of sides the innersurfaces of which are light reflecting and arranged approximately at right angles to each other, the said couples being arranged symmetrically and in opposed pairs about an axis and converging toward a point upon said axis, the relatter are reflected outwardly in directions 7 in general parallel relationto the incident rays.

7. A reflector comprising a plurality of couples of sides the inner surfaces of which are light reflecting, the said couples being arranged in opposed pairs about an axis and converging toward a point on said axis, the lines of intersection of the reflecting surfaces of each opposed pair of couples being arranged approximately at right angles.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have hereunto signed my name this 3rd day of June, A. D., 1927.

RICHARD W. LUCE. 

